Batter for base-ball-game apparatus.



No. 861,843. l PATETED JULY 30, 1907.

A.. H. HBITMANN.

lBATTER FOB. BASE BALL yGAME APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED rmsfa. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 861,843. PATBNTBD :JULY 3o, 1907'.

. A. H. I-IEITMANN.v

BATTBR POR; BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS;

APPLIOTION FILED PERB. 1907.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

AAWAAAAAAA;

'la lll/Il I W/ TME SSE S gym/ure.

ATTORNEYS BATTER FOR BASE-BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Original application filed October 13, 1906, Serial No. 338,790. Divided and this application filed February 8, 1907. Serial 110.356,342.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT HENRY HEITMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and lmproved Batter for Base-Ball- Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for playing an indoor game somewhat similar to an ordinary game of baseball, and in which small dummy players are manipulated upon a board representing a baseball diamond.

This application is a division of my prior application Number 338,790, filed October 13, 1906, and the object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved dummy batter so constructed that the bat may be swung in any direction, and the direction in which the ball is batted may be more perfectly controlled. 1

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the diamond, and illustrating my improved batter located thereon; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through my improved batter, and illustrating the operating mechanism thereof, Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the device illustrated in Fig. 2, but taken in a plane at right angles to the above-mentioned figure; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, taken in the direction indicated by the arrow.

My improved game as disclosed in the prior application above referred to, involves the use of a rectangular board 10 having a plurality of grooves 11 arranged in the form of a rectangle and representing the baseball diamond, and having pockets 12 at the intersection of the grooves to represent the bases. The dummy batter is located adjacent one of these bases designated as the home plate, and in the rear of the batter is provided a screen or shield 13 serving to stop the ball in case it is not struck by the batter. The board is also provided with an upwardly projecting flange 14 around its outer edge, serving to prevent the balls from rolling off, and additional screens or shield 15 may be provided along the sides of the board and terminating a short distance from the batter so that the latter may be more readily manipulated, but the ball prevented from escaping from the board in case it is batted too high.

In the specific form of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I provide a supporting block 16 supported upon the board 10 adjacent the home plate 12, and mounted upon this supporting block is my improved batter, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The legs, body and head of the dummy figure lugs 28.

or rigid, but preferably of sufficient rigidity to sustain its own weight. The arms of the ligure are made of suitable flexible material, as, for instance, cloth, and are secured to the body in any suitable manner. As shown in the drawings, the iront of the body is provided with an enlarged opening through which extends the bat support, and the fabric forming the arms covers the opening and is pasted or otherwise secured to the body adjacent the periphery of the opening and has an aperture for the bat support. 1

Within the body is mounted a substantially vertical shaft 18, having its upper en d rotatably mounted within a bearing upon the upper end of a supporting brace 19, and having its lower end mounted in a bearing in the top of the supporting block 16. The upper end of this shaft carries two upwardly directed substantially parallel lugs 20 spaced a short distance apart, and serving to support a pivot 21 for the bat 22. The inner end of the bat extends a short distance beyond the pivot 2l, and connected toits extreme inner end and depending therefrom, is provided a link 23, by the vertical motion of which the elevation of the bat may be altered.

Surrounding the shaft and adjacent one end thereof, 1 provide a coiled spring 24 having one end held within a rigid member as, for instance, the supporting brace 19, and having the other end secured to the shaft, whereby the spring normally tends to rotate the shalt in one direction.

The lower end of the shaft 1S is also at right angles, and provided with a downwardly extending portion 25, serving as a crank whereby the shank is rotated, and normally engaging with the inner end 26 of an operating lever 27. The lever is pivotally mounted between two depending lugs 28, which latter are carried by a plate 29 pivotally connected to a portion of the supporting block 16, whereby the lever may be moved laterally by the rotation of this plate upon its pivot, and may be moved vertically upon its own. pivot extending through the The inner end of the lever adjacent its engagement with the lower end 25 of the shaft, is pivotally connected to the link 23 above referred to. The outer end of the lever 27 is provided with a suitable knob 30 whereby the lever may be more firmly grasped, and by means ofthe structure above described, it will be noted that the bat may be raised oi lowered to any suitable elevation, and may be swung in a lateral direction through a very considerable angle. By the lowering of the knob 30, the link 23 serves to raise the inner end of the bat and thus lower the outer end, while a lateral movement of the knob 30 in one direction serves to rotate the shaft 18 and cause a lateral movement of the bat. As the pivotal support of the bat is a shorter distance from the link 23 than is the pivotal support of the lever 27, it will be evident that a given vertical movement of the lever will result in a much greater 17 may be made of any suitable material, either flexible movement of the bat. The supporting block 16, upon Which is mounted the mechanism above described, is secured to the board 10 in any suitable manner, but is preferably so mounted that the direction in which the batter laces may be varied to a certain degree, whereby the ball may be more readily batted in different directions. This securing means preferably comprises a pin 31 carried by a transverse bar 31a in the supporting block 16 adjacent one end thereof, and adapted for insertion within an opening 32 in the board. The board is also provided with a plate 33 inserted flush with the upper surface of the board and having a slot 34 lying in the arc of a circle having the recess 32 as a center. Either one or .both ends of the slot 34 are provided with an enlarged portion 35 directly above a recess of greater width than said slot.

The supporting block 16 carries a bolt 36 having a rectangular head 37 adapted to be inserted through one of the enlarged openings above referred to, and adapted to engage with the under side of the plate 33 adjacent the slot 34 when the supporting block is given a lateral movement. The upper end of the bolt 36 is provided with a suitable milled nut 38 whereby the head 37 may be brought into lirm engagement with the plate and thc supporting block rigidly supported in the desired position. The supporting block is pivoted at one end, and its other e'nd is free to move through a limited arc, whereby the batter may be caused to face toward any desired portion of the diamond.

1n the operation of the improved device above described, the operator grasps the handle 30, and by moving it laterally in one direction, the bat is caused to move to the desired position for striking the ball, and at the same time the tension of the spring 24 is materially increased. As the ball is thrown toward the batter, the person manipulating the latter raises' or lowers the handle 30 to the proper elevation, whereby the bat may be brought into engagementwith the ball. The action o the spring tends to facilitate the forward movement of the bat, but does not constitute the sole means for causing this forward movement, inasmuch as it is necessary for the operator to maintain the bat at the desired eleva.- tion by holding the linger beneath the handle 30 and letting said handle slide along same. l

The outer end of the bat may, if desired, be made separable from the inner supporting portion, whereby larger sized bats may be employed by the least experienced persons. As illustrated, the inner end of the bat constituting the support, is provided with a socket illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the outer end 39 is provided with an extension adapted for insertion within this socket.

Various other changes may be made in the speciiic construction of the device and within the scope ol the appendedA claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and' desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A device of the class described, comprising a suitable support, and means located thereon for batting a ball, said means comprising, a shaft, a bat pivoted to the upper end of said shaft and adapted to move in a vertical plane,

and means for simultaneously rotating said shaft and moving said bat upon said pivot,

2. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft, a bat supportpivotcd to the upper end of saidv shaft and adapted to move in a vertical plane, a pivoted lever havingone end normally in engagement with the lower end of the shaft and .means connectingv said bat support withsaid lever, whereby the former may be moved in a vertical or horizontal plane by the movement of the lever.

3. 1n combination, a suitable supporting member, a supporting brace mounted thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted within said brace and said supporting member, a bat support pivotally mounted upon the upper end of said shaft and adapted to move in a vertical plane, and a pivotally mounted lever in engagement with the lower end o f the shaft for rotating said shaft to move the bat support in a lateral direction.

4. In combination, a supporting member, a substantially vertical shaft, a bat support pivoted to said shaft at its upper end and adapted to move in a vertical plane, a crank connected to said shaft at its lower end, a lever mounted to move in a lateral or vertical direction and having` one end in engagement with the crank of said shaft, and a link connecting said lever with said bat support.

5. In combination, a suitable supporting member, a shaft, a hat support adapted to be moved in a lateral direction by the rotation of said shaft, a lever in engagement with said shaft adjacent its lower' end and adapted to rotate said shaft' in one direction, and a spring nor nially tending to rotate the shaft in the opposite direction.

G. In combination, a suitable board, a supporting member mounted thereon and laterally adjustable in respect thereto, a bat support, and means mounted on said supportingv member and connected to said bat support for movingv the latterin a horizontal or vertical direction.

7. In combination, a suitable board, a supportingblock mounted'tliereon, adjustable means for rigidly securing saidrblock to said board, a shaft carried by said block, a bat support pivotally connected to said shaft, and adapted to move in a vertical plane and means connected to said bat support and said shaftfor simultaneously moving said bat support in horizontal and vertical directions.

S. In combination, a suitable board having a curved slot therein and a recess at the center of curvature of said slot, inwardly directed lianges adjacent the edges of said slot, a supportingl member having a projection adapted for insertion within said recess, a clampingr member having an enlarged head adapted for insertion within said curved slot and laterally movable therein for adjusting the position of said supporting member and adapted to engage with the under surface of said flanges for rigidly securing' said supporting member in position, and means carried by said supporting member for batting a ball.

I). In combination, a suitable board having a slot there in, a plate inserted in said. board above said slot and havingl a curved slot narrower than the slot. in the board and having enlarged portions adjacent its ends, said board beingl provided with a recess at the center of curvature of said curved slot, a supporting member having a projection adapted for insertion within said recess and having a clamping bolt, the head of which is laterally movable within the slot in the board and adapted to engage with the under surface of the plate for rigidly securing the supportingl member in the desired position, and means carried by said supporting member for batting a ball.

10. In combination, a supporting member, means for pivotally mounting; one end of said member, means for laterally adjustingv the position of the opposite end of said member, a bat and bat support, and means connected thereto and mounted upon said supporting,- member for moving said bat and bat support in a horizontal or vertical direction.

1n testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing.` witnesses.

ALBERT HENRY I'IEITMANN.

Witnesses C. lt. MARTENS, .I E. CHARLES. 

